Wednesday, October 8, 2014

Conversation 15: Author Shelley Sly

Hi all, and welcome back to Clockwork Conversations!Before we get started with our most excellent guest today, I wanted to let you all know that I will only be posting one interview per week now (on Wednesdays) in order to allow me time to work on my own projects. So be sure to stop every week for a glimpse into the fascinating minds of those in the writing community!I am thrilled to introduce you today to the wonderful Shelley Sly!

Welcome, Shelley! Please tell us a little about yourself.SS: I write middle grade novels, own a very small business, and
work part time at an elementary school. I'm also a proud rescue dog
owner. When I'm not working or spending time with my family and dog, I'm
discovering new indie bands or getting annoyed at whatever video game
I'm currently playing. I'm a nerd for life!

Q1:
Did you have a favorite hideout when you were little? A clubhouse, a
blanket fort, something of the sort? If not, where was your favorite
place to be when you were a kid?

SS:
As an introvert, I've always treasured my alone time and often hung out
in my room, but I had a few favorite places within my room. One of
those places was my closet. When I was around nine or ten, I had this
silly idea of making my walk-in closet into a second room. So I brought
some pillows, some stuffed animals, a CD player, and a bunch of other
stuff into this closet to try and make it feel like home. Was I quirky
or what? Another favorite place in my room was a window seat I'd created
by pushing a big rubber box against my window and piling blankets on
top of the box. I remember writing stories while sitting there.

Q2:
You are one of the kindest, most sincere people that I have ever had
the privilege of getting to know: online or off! I just had to say that. Now, please tell me something about you (that you would like to
share) that I don't know. A goal you have, something fun you've done,
anything you like...

SS: (Aww,
you are the best! Thank you!) I can't remember if I've shared this
before, but it's not something I immediately tell people when I meet
them: I used to be an award-winning cosplayer. When my husband
(boyfriend at the time) and I were in college, we used to dress up as
video game characters and go to conventions. We've won a few awards for
our acting skills, and one award for our costumes (that my grandmother
sewed for us.) We've since grown out of this hobby, but it was so much
fun back in the day!

Q3:
Which would you say had greater influence on your growing up: someone
in your 'real life' or the books that you read/music that you listened
to?

SS: Interesting question! I
think it's a combination of both. While my family and friends played a
significant role, I've always been connected to books and music. Even
when I was a kid, I felt like I actually knew the characters from my
favorite books, and many times, whatever the characters were doing, I
wanted to do, too. (I went through an embarrassing detective phase after
reading a lot of mystery books.) So I think I figured out who I was by
considering and trying the things I'd heard about in fiction, in
addition to taking advice from the people around me.

Q4: If you could make a wish and make one fictional character real, who would you choose?

SS:
This is tough! While I can think of some handsome and attractive faces
I'd like to see, (your very own Quinn Godspeed comes to mind!), I am
happily married and would rather wish for a best friend-like character
instead of a lover-like one. ;) So, I'm going to go with Belle from
Beauty and the Beast. It might sound like a simple answer, but I've
always identified with her so much and I think we'd get along well.
Everyone might think she's odd, but I wouldn't gossip about her like the
people in her village do. Oh, but she'd be required to share her
massive library in the castle with me. That's not a request.

Q5: *bonus question for everyone* Do you collect anything? If so, why?

SS:
I collect a variety of things. I guess my biggest collection is concert
ticket stubs. I keep them in a photo album with pictures from each
concert I've attended. It's nice to flip through the album and relive
all those amazing memories. I also collect anything that has a squirrel
on it (particularly kitchen items, like a cookie jar, dish towels,
napkin holder, etc.) and if you look in my closet, you'd probably guess
that I collect plaid button down shirts. But really, I just have no
sense of style. ;)

Your Host...

Scribbler of words, singer of songs, painter of twilight skies. Author of five novels published by Booktrope, and many a scattered short story and poem published by others.
Prone to wearing pink shoes and large- brimmed hats.